Save the date for Infrarail 2018

Infrarail’s 2018 edition in May is expected to attract more visitors than ever, amidst a period of exciting growth in the railway industry

For the second time in a row, the ExCeL London venue in the capital’s Docklands will host Infrarail – the UK’s dedicated showcase for systems, equipment, and services for the railway infrastructure market. This year’s edition of the biennial event will be held between 1 and 3 May, and its organisers expect it to be the biggest to date.

Infrarail 2018 is taking place during busy and exciting times for railway infrastructure in the UK, which adds further value to the knowledge and networking opportunities the exhibition is capable of providing. A number of substantial projects that will shape the future of the railway industry are underway at the same time, including the Digital Railway, the expansion of the London Underground network, Crossrail 2, and the numerous ventures that aim to boost the connectivity between cities in northern England. Keeping this in mind, Infrarail will set the stage for some of the most influential industry leaders, thinkers, legislators, and engineers at all levels of supply and management, to exchange ideas, demonstrate innovations, and discuss the current and the future state of the industry.

The exhibition enjoys strong ongoing support from UK’s leading rail industry organisations, such as Network Rail, the Rail Industry Association, Rail Alliance, Crossrail Ltd, British Steel, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd, and Digital Railway. All these major players will engage in the programme of informative and thought-provoking presentations, seminars, and discussion forums over the three days of the event. Provided with a unique faceto- face meeting place, the attending companies will be able to learn more about new demands in the industry, present their latest projects, make connections, and do real business.

The event is rightfully believed to expand sales opportunities for its attendees. 2016 proved incredibly successful with regards to striking and finalising deals among visitors, as Infrarail 2016’s review estimated that 67 per cent of the over 6500 delegates had immediate buying power, and 94 per cent of the exhibitors received real business enquires during the event.

One of the highlights of the exhibition will be the keynote speeches that will be delivered by high-profile stakeholders across the railway industry. The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, will address the visitors on the opening day, at 11:50, at the Seminar Theatre. Two hours later, at the Knowledge Hub, David Waboso, Managing Director of Digital Railway, will also share his insights, and on the final day, Paul Griffiths, Managing Director of Phase 2 at High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd, is scheduled to deliver his speech at 10:30. Paul Plummer, CE of the RDG ia also scheduled to speak on 3rd May at 13.10pm. This year’s exhibition will boast two new features that have not been available at previous Infrarail editions. First, the Knowledge Hub, hosted by the Railway Industry Association, will be accommodated on the show floor. It will represent a dedicated educational theatre, offering a busy programme of project updates and industry briefings during the exhibition. The second attraction con erns the partnership Infrarail has established with the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Service, which is the independent CPD accreditation centre, working across all centres, disciplines, and further learning applications. For the first time, Infrarail will offer CPD accreditation to the visitors of the exhibition’s educational programme, so they can use the hours spent at educational events, towards their respective annual CPD obligations.

What will surely be of interest to companies specialising in products and services for the civil infrastructure technology sector, either interconnected with rail, or extending beyond it, will be the Civil Infrastructure & Technology Exhibits (CITE) Hub. This feature area of Infrarail will assemble businesses that supply construction products and services, contracting skills, geotechnical expertise, tunnelling, and road infrastructure requirements, together with the equipment, materials, and products needed to complete larger projects. For exhibitors wishing to display their track products in-situ, there will be a designated area, called The Track, and for those interested in demonstrating their heavy plant and machinery, The Plant & Machinery Zone will be the place to exhibit. The delegates will also be able to visit The Recruitment Wall, where they will get the chance to meet and connect with talented professionals, looking to enhance their career opportunities.

To maximise the experience for its visitors, and help them navigate their way through the venue more easily, the Infrarail 2018 organisers are offering a free ‘Business Connect’ service to all attendees. The service will ensure that they do not miss any of the exhibiting companies relevant to them. It becomes available during the online registration process, and aspiring visitors need only follow the instructions to benefit from ‘Business Connect’. Free r egistration is open until 30 April on Infrarail’s website.

After this date, it will still be possible to sign up either via the website, or at the venue itself, but at a cost of £20 per ticket.

As the event is drawing near, check the website for the most updated information on speakers and exhibitors. With an ever-growing list of exhibitors, and plenty of developments in the railway industry to speak about, Infrarail 2018 promises to be a huge success.

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